American Studies majors at Penn State Harrisburg have opportunities to gain a core set of skills in writing, presentation, exhibition, website development, digital documentation, fieldwork and ethnography, and records and cultural resource management in addition to contextual knowledge of American culture, society, arts, and history that can be applied to a number of occupations, particularly in heritage, communications, education, and government sectors. At Penn State Harrisburg, certificates (heritage and museum practice , folklore and ethnography ) internships, assistantships, professional workshops, career services, alumni interaction, social media, and listservs with job postings serve to enhance the marketability of majors at various levels.
In addition, the American Studies Program and the School of Humanities offer courses designed to develop applied skills such as museum administration and education, curatorial and exhibition practices, historic preservation, photography, audio production, graphic design, writing for media, and teaching and learning. American Studies majors take advantage of internship, research, and training opportunities in the Capital Region which includes major historical organizations, cultural and community institutions, advocacy (NGOs) groups, legal and business firms, communications (publications, public relations, broadcast media) outlets, libraries and archives, and governmental agencies. Among the major American Studies programs nationally, Penn State Harrisburg's program has earned kudos for developing students in education, heritage work (museums, historical organizations, cultural institutions), government, community outreach, and communications. Graduates of the program are employed in global settings as well as nearby in a growing metropolitan area. Our testimonials give examples of different career paths of American Studies majors.